


contingency

by bukkunkun



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Actually Really Wholesome, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, April Fools' Day, Blood and Injury, Canon-Typical Violence, Crack Treated Seriously, Crack and Angst, Don't Examine This Too Closely, Gen, I Can't Believe I Wrote This, I Wish I Was Drunk When I Wrote This, Inspired by Music, Kingdom Hearts Headcanons, Memes, blink and you'll miss it memes, listen i'm really still [X-FILES THEME] at how christopher robin isn't even mentioned in kh..., please buy project destati's new album DARKNESS out everywhere now also on spotify and bandcamp, this is just a conspiracy theory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-01
Updated: 2018-04-01
Packaged: 2019-04-16 19:14:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,138
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14171661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bukkunkun/pseuds/bukkunkun
Summary: “We’re going to Nort the Pooh bear.”No amount of times saying it,regardless of whom it was saying it, it didn’t sound like a good idea.“I… he…” He didn’t know what else to say, really. “Yes. We are going to… Nort the Pooh bear. As you said.”Let it be said that Master Xehanort, Seeker of Darkness, was not a man who left a stone unturned.A hypothetical KH3 situation crack taken way too far than what is comfortable.Written in celebration ofProject Destati'snew album,DARKNESS.





	contingency

**Author's Note:**

> Written also to celebrate April Fools' Day 2018.
> 
> So Project Destati released DARKNESS on Sora's birthday and I watched the livestream and finished up my week's worth of mobile data but it was So Worth It. The album is gorgeous, congratulations on releasing it! The wait was so worth it. The album is available for streaming on [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/album/0mVjsnNpPNo6GdK7M9zFxu) and [Bandcamp](https://projectdestati.bandcamp.com/album/project-destati-darkness), and for purchase on Bandcamp, and [iTunes](https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/project-destati-darkness/1358946001?mt=1&app=music&ign-itsct=1358946001-1358946001&ign-itscg=0177&ign-mpt=uo%3D4). ~~And being a Vanitas stan, of course my favourite track is Unbreakable Chains. And then Home of Dragons, and No More Bugs.~~
> 
> I absolutely Lost My Marbles when I heard Bounce-O-Rama and somehow I immediately got to work on this monstrosity of a fic. I both love and hate it. I'd love it if you noticed the memes I've injected in there. Please tell me I'm a man of culture, as well.
> 
> You can watch my descent into hell on the #poohnort hashtag on Twitter, starting with the tweet that started it all:
>
>> hey [@ProjectDestati](https://twitter.com/ProjectDestati?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) i hope you're proud of yourselves. i haven't left the bandcamp page since the song launched. i've been replaying it over and over in stupefied shock, and now this is happening. [pic.twitter.com/W4O78oZZV4](https://t.co/W4O78oZZV4)
>> 
>> — bukkun @ poohnort hell (@trickscd) [29 March 2018](https://twitter.com/trickscd/status/979342269856690177?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)
> 
> and maybe take a look at my pinned tweet? that'd be sweet of you. 

“The master said _what now._ ”

He tried not to take a long-suffering sigh. Sometimes, he wondered if his older self was going senile at some of his ideas, but he’d learned to not question them—not when the old man’s plans always turned out so well.

(For the most of it—their failure to capture Sora was, at least to him, at least two steps back in what little he knew of their plan.)

“He said… we had to.” He _really_ didn’t know why this sounded like a good idea to him. He didn’t even know how this idea even occurred to him. “We had to put his heart in… the bear.”

In front of him, the taller young man spat out his drink. He tried not to flinch when it made a neat _smack_ against the wall across them.

“We’re going to Nort the Pooh bear.”

No amount of times saying it, _regardless of whom it was saying it_ , it didn’t sound like a good idea.

“I… he…” He didn’t know what else to say, really. “Yes. We are going to… Nort the Pooh bear. As you said.”

At that, Vanitas burst out laughing, and finally the young Xehanort flinched.

Really, out of all the people his older self made him work with—it had to be the psycho wearing Sora’s face.

“That’s—that’s,” Vanitas managed between his laughter, before he shook his head. “That’s _crazy._ Did the old man finally lose it or?” he made a vague gesture with his hands, and went straight back to snickering.

Somehow, deep, deep in the back of young Xehanort’s head, he wanted to laugh, too. At how ridiculous the whole thing was.

However, Vanitas was not Eraqus, and there was no other person he would think of laughing out loud with.

“I don’t know.” He huffed instead, crossing his arms. “But I think it’s far past the time to be doubting the things he has been planning.”

“I think that’s just your smartass way of saying you’ve got no idea how insane your older self is.” Vanitas leered at him, and Xehanort pursed his lips.

Oh, why couldn’t he do this mission with someone like Isa or Xemnas instead?

“Believe what you want to.” He replied tartly, “The Master said we should go together because—”

“I look like Sora, right?” Vanitas rolled his eyes. “I’d been listening.”

At that, Xehanort blinked at him. “You’d been. Listening.”

“I do that a lot, yeah?” Vanitas shrugged, “No one else seems to know how to have a good time here, and the old man’s got me on a short leash ever since I ran off looking for Ventus. What else was I gonna do?”

“So you’d take the mission the moment you heard it, did you.” Xehanort deadpanned, and the other teen shrugged again. “I’m starting to think the inactivity is driving you insane. Perhaps that’s what my older self is planning for you.”

“Wouldn’t that be great.” Vanitas’s grin was sardonic. “Lose my mind and let his heart in, or lose myself looking for Ventus. There’s no way out with guys like me, is there?”

Xehanort pursed his lips again. Vanitas was definitely much smarter than he gave him credit for. Before he left his older self’s side, he had been warned of how unstable Vanitas could be. When Xehanort revived him, he still had his own heart, still yearning to find Ventus again, and that was the key—he said—to finding the Chamber of Waking. It was the reason why Xehanort hadn’t put his heart inside Vanitas yet, he knew, and he wondered if Vanitas thought the same thing.

Xehanort wouldn’t put it past him, really. Not when Vanitas was the wildest wild card they had right now, barring the Replica Riku they found, but had yet to awaken.

“The Master put us together because we were the same age.” Xehanort said, and the other teen’s grin widened. He _hated_ the fact he couldn’t quite read him the way his older self seemed to be so easily capable of. “ _What._ ”

“The same age?” Vanitas shot back, “You’re like, 12.”

Xehanort’s frown deepened. “I’m 15.”

“Could’ve fooled me.”

Oh, Vanitas really could make himself as insufferable as he could possibly be, could he.

“Frankly, I share the sentiment.” He replied, “With the way you act, I can’t decide if you’re 5 or 36.”

Vanitas suddenly laughed at that, and he jabbed a finger in Xehanort’s face.

“Yeah, I think I like you more than the old man.” He snickered, “You at least put up a better fight.”

The young Xehanort frowned at that. “What do you mean?”

“Whatever.” Vanitas waved his hand, “Well? Get to it. Open the corridor of darkness and let’s go get that damn bear.”

Xehanort shook his head.

He _still_ wanted Isa with him instead. All things considered, the man knew Radiant Garden better than anyone else in the new Organisation, but there was no questioning the Master’s orders. He glowered at Vanitas.

He will have to make do.

“We’re not even going to discuss our plan on getting that, quote, ‘damn bear’?” He deadpanned, and Vanitas rolled his eyes.

“Fine. It’s dead easy.” He said. “You,” he poked Xehanort’s forehead, “Stop time, and I’ll go slit everyone’s throats while they’re out of it.”

Xehanort’s expression tightened at his suggestion.

“This mission requires stealth, you clumsy gorilla.” He snarled, “I think it is incredibly clear that it is not strategy that is your strongest suit.”  Shaking his head, he turned around to open a Corridor of Darkness anyway. “If we’re going to succeed at this, then you will be listening to _me._ ” Vanitas rolled his eyes. “And drop that attitude and give me a smile.”

Vanitas cocked his head at him, and it was Xehanort’s turn to give him a smarmy grin.

“After all, _Sora,_ we’re going to see your old friend Pooh, yes?” Realisation dawned in Vanitas’s eyes and anger crossed his face. “Oh, don’t get so upset. You have the whole walk through the corridor to get it right.”

* * *

It was through some sheer dumb luck that Merlin frequently left his house empty, Xehanort thought, as he and Vanitas stepped through the corridor to find no one around. The book they were looking for was on top of a writing-desk conspicuously, and Xehanort almost laughed at how _easy_ this all was.

Still it was no reason to relax—not by a long shot, but having no one around while you pulled a heist was actually _helpful_ , his partner’s thirst for violence notwithstanding. He strode over to the book with purposeful steps, and looked at Vanitas.

“Well?”

“I was expecting this to go down a little wilder.” The teen commented, and Xehanort rolled his eyes.

“Of course you did.”

Vanitas came to a stop next to him, and flinched. Xehanort cocked his head at him, but watched in mild amusement when he put his helmet on with a wave of his hand.

“A bit allergic to the light, are we?” Xehanort deadpanned, going for an air of amused nonchalance, but he did _not_ like how he could no longer see Vanitas’s face.

“Not a fan of it.” Vanitas replied, “Well? You gonna open that or am I gonna have to tear it open?”

“Ugh, such violence.” Xehanort scoffed, and summoned his Keyblade to his hand. He pointed it at the lock on the book—and watched in amusement when the golden lock completely _shattered_ as a beam of darkness shot from his blade to it. “Oh, oops. I may have broken something.”

“And you called _me_ the clumsy gorilla.” Vanitas smirked. “In.”

Xehanort opened the book up, thumbing at the pop-up flaps with an air of amusement.

“You first, _Sora._ ”

“Call me that again, and there’s no telling what I’ll do on this mission.” Vanitas snarled, shoving him aside to stand in front of the book. “This is stupid.”

There was a beat of silence, before Xehanort nodded. “Agreed.”

Before he had the chance to say anything, Vanitas dragged him into the book with him.

* * *

“ _For a group who calls themselves the Organisation, you sure are disorganised!_ ”

Sora’s words sounded hilarious back then, but now, they grated on his ears to even remember.

Xehanort opened his eyes to find himself lying down on top a small hill, right underneath the shade of a large tree. He frowned deeply when he saw Vanitas hanging upside-down from the tree by his knees, snickering at him.

“You must think you’re _hilarious_.” He deadpanned, getting up. “Pushing me in like that with you.”

“I’m _efficient._ ” Vanitas replied, “So, genius? What about that bear, huh?”

Xehanort ignored his jab at him to look around at the hill they were at. It didn’t seem familiar in any way, but he realised that a roof jutted out from the bottom of the tree. He cocked his head at it, and saw a chimney with smoke rising from it.

“Where are we?” He asked instead, and to his credit, he didn’t flinch when Vanitas jumped down from the tree to land by his side with ease.

“I think we’re at the right place.” He said, and walked around the side of the tree. Xehanort followed after him down the hill to realise that a small house was built into the base of the tree, and inside through the window they could see a small yellow bear.

“Oh.” Xehanort did _not_ like how easily things were going. There _had_ to be some catch.

“So,” Vanitas looked at him. “You tell me how we’re supposed to Nort this thing.”

Well. It was always best not to look a gift horse in the mouth, after all.

“Listen carefully and pay attention.” Xehanort said sharply. “I won’t repeat this twice.”

* * *

“ _Pooh? Pooh Bear, are you home?_ ”

Oh, it’d been a while since he heard that voice.

“Sora?” Pooh looked up from his pot of honey. It’d been a good long while since he last heard from the boy, and he’d missed him. Just the other day, he and Rabbit had been talking about Sora, and it was quite the lonely wait he had since then. Sora, after all, was a dear friend, and a friend missed dearly.

“ _Yeah, it’s me! I’m right outside, could you come on out?_ ”

“Oh, I’ve missed you, Sora!” The bear said warmly, “But I’ve a bit of a rumbly in my tumbly. Won’t you perhaps have another pot of hunny with you out there?”

There was muffled swearing outside, and he couldn’t quite understand what was going on. It was oddly dark, but perhaps night had fallen. Soon, it would be time to go to bed, but maybe Sora could stay the night—it was the first time they’d seen each other in a while, after all.

“ _Y-yeah! I’ve got some honey out here. Could you just come outside?_ ”

Sora sounded oddly strained, but maybe he was simply hungry. Pooh looked around his house for anything he could offer the boy, but maybe they could simply share the honey he had with him outside. Hunger and missing his friend mixed together like muddied water, and Pooh nodded determinedly.

“I’m coming!” he said pleasantly, and ambled to the door. “Oh, it’s been a while, Sora. I—”

He opened the door to the sight a smirking young man with Sora’s face, but none of the warm kindness Pooh had grown used to.

Gone was his brilliant blue eyes, the chocolate brown of his hair. Where Sora had been soft, kind curves, this young man had sharp, mean angles, and the smile that stretched his lips was nothing like the smiles Sora gave him.

“I _knew_ this plan wasn’t quite seamless.” Someone said from behind the boy, and realisation set in.

This was _not_ Sora.

“Oh, bother.”

A pair of cold, cold hands grabbed him, and the world went black.

* * *

The last thing Riku expected when immediately coming back from the Realm of Darkness was trouble.

Well, he was used to that, trouble—there was nothing _but_ trouble in the Realm of Darkness, what with his Keyblade breaking, and then forging a new one, saving Master Aqua, any trouble after that was _expected,_ but he wasn’t quite expecting Merlin to be demanding to see someone— _anyone_ —who could wield a Keyblade, and had some good immunity to darkness.

With Master Aqua taking a well-deserved rest in Yen Sid’s Mysterious Tower, and Mickey heading off to do his own mission, Riku was the only Master left available to help Merlin out with… whatever it was he needed help with.

“Wait, wait, again? What’s—what—CCTV?”

“Closed circuit television,” Cid said tiredly, but Merlin spoke over him impatiently.

“Some newfangled technology! I don’t know!” He waved his arms in a panic, “The point does not lie there—it’s what it _caught!_ ”

Riku shook his head. He could tease Sora for being technologically inept all he wanted, but in all brutal honesty, he was no better off. Between him, Sora and Kairi, it was _Kairi_ with the most experience with technology, thanks to her year in Destiny Islands while he ran around the World That Never Was and Sora was in a coma.

“Okay, what’s this about catching things?” He asked, peering apologetically at Cid as the man rolled his eyes.

“Get over ‘ere, kid.” He said gruffly, and Riku obediently stood next to him to realise the man was playing a video of what was going on inside Merlin’s house. “As I was sayin’, I installed these cameras ‘round the area to keep an eye on the old man’s stuff—”

“I am _not_ an old man!”

“ _And,_ ” Cid talked over him, “Turns out, I thought right that somethin’ funny was gonna happen.”

He played the video for Riku, and the teen’s eyes widened in alarm when he watched a portal of darkness appear inside the house. Two teens in black cloaks walked out of it—and Riku recognised one of them.

“That’s Xehanort!” He hissed, pointing at the young Xehanort. “Who’s that he’s with?”

He frowned at the video, trying to get a look at the boy’s face, but the quality wasn’t good enough to let him see.

“Ugh, I can’t see.” he shook his head.

“They went into the storybook.” Cid said, and on the screen, the two teens entered the book, the boy Xehanort was with dragging him into the book in a way that made Riku snort slightly in laughter.

“I hardly see anything funny, young Riku!” Merlin huffed.

“Y’know,” he said fondly, “Sora’s right. These guys… are _not_ very organised, are they?”

Cid burst out laughing at that, but Merlin huffed.

“This is simply _not_ the time to be laughing!” he scolded them, and Riku quickly pursed his lips shut. “ _Thank you._ ” He sighed exasperatedly.

“Sorry.” Riku managed.

“Well, I would have opened the book myself with some quite powerful magic, but I simply could not risk letting the darkness overrun the whole place.” Merlin ushered Riku over to the book, and the young man let out a gasp when he saw a large black shadow covering the book. “It’s locked, you see, and I needed a Keyblade Master with a good resistance to darkness.”

“Okay.” Riku nodded, and summoned his Keyblade to his hand. He almost stumbled at the weight of it—but he saw Merlin’s proud smile, and flushed slightly. “Sorry. The Keyblade, uh, it’s—new.”

“Yes, one of heart, I can tell.” He nodded. “Well, go on then, Master Riku. Let’s deal with this little pest problem before it gets out of hand.”

“Right.” Riku nodded, and looked at Cid. “In case anyone asks—”

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll let Leon and the others know.” He nodded, “Good luck in there, kid.”

Riku gave him a small smile and turned to the book.

“Here goes.”

* * *

When Riku entered the Hundred Acre Wood, the first thing on his mind was Sora.

_Oh, what would Sora think if he saw this._

The forest had turned dark, roots uprooting into awful, awful seething black creepvines, and he couldn’t help but stop and stare at it.

From what Sora told him about his time here, he knew the Hundred Acre Wood was a beautiful place, with soft green grass and rolling hills.

Not this… silent forest, stuck in a kind of darkness that made it feel like a nightmare you couldn’t wake up from.

Gripping his Keyblade a little tighter, Riku steeled himself and walked onward.

The stench of darkness was almost overwhelming. The Realm of Darkness, at least, was reasonably with the stench, but here it didn’t feel right. Where there should’ve been light, there was none.

He made his way over to a small house at the foot of a tree, and deflated slightly at how empty it was. He knew since something going wrong that the book’s residents would probably have gone missing, but he at least had hoped they would be okay.

He remembered what Sora called the bear that lived here.

“Pooh bear?” He asked, calling out uncertainly into the darkness beyond him. “Pooh bear, you home?”

“What a bother.” Young Xehanort’s voice said behind him, and Riku whirled around, Keyblade at the ready, to glare at him. “And here we were expecting someone more useful.”

Sora, Riku thought. They were _still_ after Sora.

“Well,” he shot back, half-smirking. “Someone went and decided this nuisance didn’t need the big guns.”

“Is strategy, then perhaps, not your strongest suit?”

Riku blinked at him. The younger Xehanort, as far as he knew, didn’t have a penchant for snark. At least, in the short time he had been with him, he wasn’t like this, but he didn’t have much time to bicker.

“What did you do to this world?” He demanded instead.

At that, much to his surprise, young Xehanort’s cheeks turned pink. _This_ was new development.

“We simply added our own touch of darkness.” He replied, and Riku had to give him credit—he at least managed to recover quickly.

“You really think that’s gonna be a problem for me.” Riku deadpanned. “I’ve beaten you once, I can do it again.”

Well, he wasn’t that sure about victory. There was still the other boy Xehanort was with, and who knew what kind of Heartless or Nobody they could throw at him here.

“Then perhaps I can seek to even the odds with a partner.” Xehanort smirked, and Riku steeled himself. Here he came. “If the news of what befell his friend would not bring Sora here, then perhaps your demise will do quite nicely.”

“You’re not bringing me down that easily.”

He heard something rustle behind him, and quickly he teleported to behind whomever it was that tried to attack him, blasting him off to the side with a pulse of dark magic.

The boy Xehanort was with ended up sidetracked from attacking him, landing in the bushes with an almost comical way. Riku bit back the snort that bubbled from his chest, instead backing away from the two teens to get at a safe distance. Xehanort rolled his eyes, and jerked his head to the side to fling the teen out of the bushes, and Riku jolted when he landed easily in front of him, his own Keyblade at the ready.

His heart dropped to his gut.

Sora’s face stared back at him, his lips curled up in a maniacal grin. His skin crawled at the sight—it _looked_ like Sora, but it didn’t _feel_ like him. His eyes were yellow, his hair was black and his skin was ashen—everything Sora wasn’t, and Riku’s stance wavered.

That was all the boy needed.

“Suffer!” He snarled with Sora’s voice, and Riku _knew_ this wasn’t _his_ Sora. Still, he had his wits about him, and Riku managed to just barely dodge the oncoming blow from not-Sora.

“Who are you?” Riku demanded, and the boy smirked at him.

“It’s me, _Riku_. Sora. Your best friend.”

“You liar.” Riku spat. “Sora would _never_ give in to the darkness.”

“Oh, really?” Xehanort smirked. “I beg to disagree.”

“Sora’s currently running around a world called San Fransokyo.” Riku deadpanned. “He sent over a hat as a souvenir.”

Xehanort pursed his lips, and the Sora lookalike burst out laughing.

“Looks like _someone_ forgot to file their report.” He shot at Xehanort over his shoulder, and Riku gripped his Keyblade tighter.

“The jig is up, Xehanort.” Riku snapped, “Who’s this guy and what did you do to this world?”

“We will not—” Xehanort began, but his companion cut him off.

“Vanitas.” He said, and Riku blinked at him. “What? I like ruining the old man’s plans.”

“You little—you really think you’re getting away with this.” Xehanort deadpanned.

“Oh, Pooh bear!” Vanitas called out, and Riku hated the way he sounded so similar to Sora. “Please, help me!”

The wind suddenly howled all around them, and Riku could only hear the sound of Xehanort’s angered shout. He flinched, bracing himself by stabbing his Keyblade into the ground, and when he managed to ground himself, he pried his eyes open.

Much to his shock, he saw a small yellow bear attacking Xehanort, and before he could react any more, he felt a hand grab his shoulder, and he was yanked into Pooh’s house.

Riku felt himself get slammed into the wall, choking slightly, but that was all he could do when Vanitas pointed his Keyblade at his throat. He settled for glaring at the other teen, who grinned at him wildly.

“Listen close, pretty boy.” Vanitas snarled, “I want you to bring Ventus here.”

“Ventus?” Riku echoed, “The hell do you want with Ventus?”

Vanitas rolled his eyes. “The hell do you want with this world?” He asked, and Riku glowered at him.

“The Hundred Acre Wood is important.”

“It’s just a storybook.”

“Pooh is Sora’s _friend._ ”

Vanitas scoffed. “It’s always about his friends, isn’t it.”

“At least he has some!” Riku shot back, and at that, Vanitas laughed.

“I didn’t think I’d be hearing _those_ words again.”

Riku squinted at him in confusion, but he shook his head.

“Sora’s the only person who can fix this.” He said. “Bring him here, and you bring me Ventus.”

“Wh—why?” He demanded. “This doesn’t make any damn sense—what even happened here?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Vanitas sneered. “We Norted the bear.”

At that, Riku stopped, and Vanitas’s grin widened when he saw confusion give way to realisation, and then—there it was.

Amusement.

Riku snorted. And then his chest began hiccuping.

“C’mon, let it out. It’s really as ridiculous as it sounds.”

And Riku began laughing.

“Okay, okay.” Vanitas snorted. “That’s enough.”

Riku pursed his lips, hiding his mouth behind a fist, but his shoulders were still shaking, and his eyes were small with mirth.

“So, Sora. The Hundred Acre Wood.” He said, “I’ll be waiting right here, and I’ll keep this guy on a short leash.”

“Wait,” Riku chuckled, “Why are you doing this?”

“I don’t care about the old man’s plans.” Vanitas deadpanned. “All I want is to see Ventus again.”

At that, Riku stopped laughing, and Vanitas scowled at the pity that crossed his face.

“Don’t tell me you’re _pitying me._ ” He snarled.

“You’re just lonely.” Riku said softly, and Vanitas hissed at him.

“ _Get out of here already._ ” He growled, “Or I’ll sic the bear on you, too.”

“I’ll be back.” He nodded, “We still need to talk.”

“Whatever.” Vanitas rolled his eyes, but the Master was already gone.

* * *

“Thanks for the ice cream!” Sora said cheerfully, waving goodbye to the person at the counter. Beside him, Donald and Goofy held their own cones of ice cream, and together, the three of them walked back out towards the racetrack. Sora had just finished a race with his Keyblade glider, and while he hadn’t gotten first place—second place wasn’t too bad!—Donald and Goofy went and got him an ice cream anyway. They had just finished taking care of things in San Fransokyo, and knew a well-deserved break was in order.

“Gawrsh, Sora, you think we’re kinda missin’ something?” Goofy asked, and the teen cocked his head at him, frowning in confusion.

“What do you mean?” Sora asked, the ice cream in his mouth garbling his speech, and that earned him a pinch in the side from Donald. “Hey!”

“Don’t talk with your mouth full.” The mage scolded him, and Sora hurried to swallow what was in his mouth.

“Sorry. What do you mean, Goofy?” he asked again, and the knight shrugged.

“I dunno, really. But I’ve been gettin’ this sinkin’ feeling that someone needs our help.”

Sora immediately stood to attention. “Our help? Where?”

“Let’s head back to the Gummi Ship!” Donald declared, and the other two nodded.

Sora hadn’t even taken a step when he suddenly disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

* * *

Sora blinked in alarm as he held himself incredibly still to find himself standing in a dark house, and it only took him a moment to realise where he was.

“M-Merlin’s house?” He stammered, and he jumped at the sound of Riku’s voice.

“Sora!” He whirled around to see him hurrying towards him from Merlin’s side, and he lit up.

“Riku! You’re back!” He cheered, “Did you find what you were looking for?”

“Y-yeah. Master Aqua is back in the Mysterious Tower.” Riku shook his head. “Wait, no. Listen, we’ve got a big problem. Merlin summoned you here because I needed you.”

Immediately Sora’s smile fell off his face. “What do you need?” He asked sternly, and Riku eyed the ice cream cone in his hand.

“You were eating ice cream?”

“Oh! We came from San Fransokyo and took a break in Disney Town.” Sora explained, and he shook his head. “C’mon, Riku. What’s the problem?”

“Right.” Riku nodded, “Over here.”

He headed over to where Pooh’s storybook was, and Sora gasped at the sight of it. It was covered in a thick inky black shadow, and a large, dark keyhole was on the cover, in place of his picture with Pooh.

“What—what happened to Pooh?” He asked worriedly.

“Xehanort got his hands on him.” Riku said, and Sora’s blood turned cold. “The young Xehanort and this other guy—Vanitas, you know him?”

“Oh, yeah, I know him.” Sora frowned, curling his hand into a fist over his heart. “He’s after Ventus, who’s inside my heart right now. I think. I’m not too sure myself.”

Riku looked at him witheringly. “Okay, I believe you.”

Sora gave him a lopsided grin. “Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

Riku elbowed him lightly, chuckling. “Anyway, they went in there and put Xehanort’s heart inside Pooh bear.” He squeezed Sora’s shoulder. “I’m sorry. I tried going in there myself, but too much was happening.” His expression tightened. “And it’s a _mess_ in there. Vanitas and Xehanort do _not_ get along well.”

Sora grinned at him. “Not like the two of us, huh.” He said, and Riku smiled back at him.

“Don’t you know it.” He held his fist out at Sora, and the brunet gave him a fist bump.

“So, let’s get in there and save Pooh.” Sora said determinedly, and Riku nodded.

“Any ideas how?” He asked, and Sora shrugged.

“I’ve kinda learned to just let this do the talking.” He said, and jabbed his thumb at his heart, grinning. Riku huffed softly at that.

“Yeah, that sounds about right.” He said. “C’mon, let’s go.”

Sora summoned his Keyblade to his hand, and unlocked the book. As the darkness seeped out towards them, Sora’s eyes widened in realisation.

“Oh!” He gasped, and Riku looked at him, panicked.

“Sora?” He asked, wide eyed.

“Donald and Goofy are still in Disney Town!”

The two teens disappeared in a flash of darkness, and Sora’s ice cream scoop dropped to the ground with a wet _squelch._

Merlin and Cid looked at each other, bewildered, and the wizard sighed.

“Well, I suppose I should go have them called as well.” He said, defeated.

“ _After_ you clean up that mess.” Cid drawled, and Merlin simply slapped him upside the head.

* * *

When Sora opened his eyes, he found himself standing in the middle of a wide, open field. It felt like it was the middle of the night with how dark the whole place was, but he could see a blackened sun in the blackened sky above them, and he shivered when a chilly wind passed him.

“You okay?” Riku asked, patting Sora’s shoulder, and the brunet nodded.

“This makes me kinda wish Kairi or Lea were here.” He said, “Of all the spells we’d taught them, at least they could cast Fire decently.”

“Dress warmer.” Riku poked Sora’s forehead, but when they heard the sound of blades clashing in the distance, the both of them summoned their Keyblades to their hands. “That way.”

“Right with you.” Sora nodded, and the both of them sprinted towards the source of the sound.

Just beyond a gently sloping hill, Sora saw three figures fighting each other. Vanitas, his mask on, and dark Thundaga flying everywhere. Young Xehanort, with his own Keyblade, throwing bullets of magic at his two assailants, and—

“Pooh Bear!” Sora gasped, when he saw the third figure fighting with them—a small yellow bear, charging at the young Xehanort with lightning speed.

His shout caught their attentions, and the two teens stopped fighting to look at him. Riku swore under his breath, and immediately summoned a barrier around them as suddenly Xehanort threw a bullet of magic their way.

“Look alive, Sora!” he snapped, yanking his best friend out of the way when Pooh changed his target from Xehanort to Sora, and the brunet rolled the rest of the way to safety as Riku leapt up to block Vanitas’s incoming strike.

“Ventus!” Vanitas snarled at Sora, knocking Riku and his blade aside to continued the charge towards the brunet. “Finally! You’re here!”

“Stopga!” Xehanort shouted, and Vanitas stopped in midair, hand outreached at Sora. Sora jumped onto his feet to see the silver-haired teen smirking at him, but he was panting and slightly more dishevelled than he had ever seen him before.

“For all the trouble he’s caused, Vanitas _does_ have some use after all.” He smirked, but then he was suddenly launched to the side when Pooh came barrelling into his midsection. Sora lit up, and he made a move to head towards the bear, when Pooh glowered at him with horrifying yellow eyes.

Sora gasped, but before Pooh could tackle him next, Riku knocked him back with a blast of Dark Firaga.

“Sora, that’s not Pooh! Don’t forget!” He shouted, as suddenly the wind picked up around them.

“Don’t use fire skills!” Sora shouted back, “You’re gonna burn him!”

“Now’s _really_ not the time to be—”

“Begone!” Young Xehanort snarled, and he blew them all back with a powerful blast of air. Sora dug his Keyblade into the ground to keep himself upright, and he looked up at the still-stopped Vanitas. “It’s about time to stop this mess!”

“Stop _this!_ ” He shouted back, and grabbed Vanitas’s hand. Mustering all his strength, he leapt up into the air, bringing Vanitas with him, before hurtling him towards Xehanort.

Disturbing Vanitas seemed to break Xehanort’s spell, and the teen let out a shout.

“Pooh!”

The yellow bear tackled Xehanort again, scratching and clawing at his face as Vanitas turned mid-air to kick the teen in the gut as he landed. As Xehanort flew off to the side, fighting with Pooh still attached to his face, Vanitas whirled around to look at Sora, and the brunet lowered his Keyblade in a ready stance.

“Ventus.” He hissed, “I’ve looked everywhere for you since that other world, you insignificant speck. It’s about time we came back together.”

He charged towards Sora, his Keyblade heading straight for Sora’s face, but the brunet blocked it quickly, sending Vanitas back with a blast. It did little to hurt him, and the teen laughed a chilling, frightening laugh in the sound of Sora’s voice.

“If I have to rip out your heart with my bare hands to do it, then I will!” He taunted, raising his Keyblade in a ready stance. “Join me now, Ventus, and I can finally make the χ-blade!”

“You _really_ should watch your back!”

Vanitas phased out of the way right as Riku appeared behind him, slicing his Keyblade through the spot where Vanitas once stood.

“You little _pest_.” Vanitas spat at him, and Riku gave a nod to Sora.

“Go, Sora! Get Xehanort’s heart out of Pooh bear! I’ll handle _this_ jerk.”

Sora nodded, and headed after Xehanort. Vanitas made a move to follow him, only to get blocked by Riku.

“You’re not going _anywhere._ ” He snapped, and Vanitas growled at him as he charged at Riku instead, their Keyblades clashing with a satisfying _shing_.

“So you think you can beat me.” Vanitas snarled, and Riku met his anger with a cool grin.

“Hell yeah, I can.” He replied, “I’d already taught Xehanort his lesson when it came to fighting me. I want someone _new_ to pick a fight with.”

He spun out of the way, letting his Keyblade yield to Vanitas’s to slide it out from the lock they had between them, and swung his Keyblade up to smash Vanitas’s helmet.

Blood trickled down Vanitas’s face from his forehead as Sora’s face stretched unfittingly around his smirk.

“You little nuisance.” He growled approvingly. “I’m going to have _fun_ killing you.”

“You can try.” Riku scoffed, “I’ve already made you bleed.”

“Then I’m gonna run you dry, pretty boy.” Vanitas snarled, and clashed with him anew.

* * *

Sora followed a trail of blood in the direction where Xehanort and Pooh went, his heart thundering in his ears out of worry. Seeing Pooh like that broke his heart—gone was the tubby, soft bear he had met over a year ago, the sweet, soft-spoken friend who only ever thought of eating honey all day.

He _had_ to save him. He couldn’t doubt himself now—he was a Master, he could _do this._

He let out a shout of alarm when something suddenly slammed into the ground beside him. He looked at it to realise it was Xehanort, and his eyes widened when he looked up at the sky to see Pooh floating there, menacingly glaring down at them.

“Pooh…” Sora breathed, deflating slightly as he pressed his hand over his heart. “Oh, Pooh… the darkness got to you, too, huh.”

He let out a shout when Xehanort grabbed his hand, and he yanked it away as he got up onto his feet, panting heavily. Sora’s eyes widened at the sight of all the small scratches on his face, and he knew Pooh did that to him. His expression crumbled into one of rage.

“Why did you put your heart in him?” Sora demanded, readying his Keyblade, and Xehanort eyed him flatly.

“Now is _not_ the time to be asking questions.” He deadpanned, and as if on cue, Pooh dove at them at breakneck speed. Xehanort jumped back away from Pooh, but Sora couldn’t move away in time. He brought up his Keyblade to block it, but as Pooh went down, he scratched a long gash down Sora’s arm.

“Argh!” Sora shouted, wincing as he flung the bear away from him, grasping his arm.

“Don’t damage my vessel!” Xehanort snarled, and charged at the bear with dark Thundaga crackling around his blade. Sora scowled at him as he cast a Cure spell over himself.

“Who’s calling who a vessel?” He shot back, as Xehanort and Pooh clashed together with a loud explosion. Sora gasped, shaking his blood off his hands as he reached out at them. “Pooh!”

He didn’t know if it was a curse or a miracle to see Pooh was the one who emerged victorious between his and Xehanort’s clash. The yellow bear knocked the teen down into the ground and caused a crater to form, and Sora’s eyes widened as he fixated on him.

“Pooh bear!” He lit up and began to approach him. “Please, you gotta snap out of it. It’s me! Sora! Don’t you remember me?”

The bear didn’t respond, but it did begin slowly walking towards him. His yellow eyes were making Sora’s skin crawl, but he held his ground.

“That’s right! It’s me! Sora! I’m sorry I made you wait so long. You must’ve been lonely.”

He got rid of his Keyblade, and spread his arms.

“See? No weapons. I promise. I’m not here to hurt you!”

Something glinted in Pooh’s eyes. Was it recognition?

Sora held hope in his heart that it was.

“I won’t hurt you, Pooh! You’re my friend. Please, wake up and see me for who I am!”

* * *

Riku looked off into the distance to see Sora standing in the middle of the field, just beyond a large crater, weaponless, with spread arms. Across him, the young Xehanort lay unconscious and bleeding in the middle of the crater, and slowly emerging from it was Pooh, looking right at Sora as he began to walk towards him.

His heart shot to his throat.

“Sora!”

“Pathetic.” Vanitas cut at him, and Riku swore under his breath, blocking his blow with a dark barrier. “Keep your eyes on me. Didn’t you say you were gonna beat me?”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself.” Riku snapped back, and retaliated with a blast of magic. Vanitas leapt away from him, and landed heavily on his feet, swaying slightly as he planted heavily. He wiped the back of his wrist across the drying smear of his blood over his lips, and grinned. Riku grinned back at him.

“Giving up already?”

“Get real.” Vanitas replied, like an instinctual jerk. “Look at which of us is winning!”

Riku shook his head. “So you really _are_ connected to him.”

Vanitas squinted at him suspiciously. “The hell do you mean?”

Riku raised his Keyblade in the same stance as Vanitas did, and tried not to think about what it meant.

“Listen. I know what you’re feeling—you’re lonely. You seek to be whole.” He said carefully, but he kept an eye in Sora’s direction. His nerves were all over the place—Sora was willingly putting himself in danger, and who knows what else Xehanort and Vanitas were planning, separately or not.

He didn’t want to lose any friend now. Not when they were all together again.

“Shut up.” Vanitas snarled, “What could you possibly know?” He charged at Riku again, leaping up into the air to bring his Keyblade down on him.

“I’ve been there!” Riku deflected his attack with his own Keyblade, turning to the side to avoid taking the brunt of the force. “Listen, Vanitas, you’re not beyond helping—no one is!”

“I’m an abomination!” Vanitas shot back, “The Master said so himself! There’s no saving me! There is only the χ-blade!”

Riku grit his teeth as he landed heavily on his feet, stumbling, but that was all the hesitation Vanitas needed, dropping down low to sweep his leg over Riku’s unsteady knees to bring him down. Riku let out a shout of alarm, and Vanitas stomped his foot down on his chest, aiming his Keyblade at Riku’s throat.

“Stop it with that bull.” He panted, lips curled into a snarl. “You Keyblade Masters and your _disgusting_ spiel about getting rid of darkness—”

“I _control_ the darkness.” Riku snapped, and with a grunt of effort, he encased Vanitas in a dark barrier. The teen’s eyes widened, and Riku threw him aside, the barrier disappearing to slam Vanitas onto the ground. Tiredly he got onto his feet, and wiped at his mouth with the back of his wrist as he summoned his Keyblade back to his hand. “And the Master told you that? That you’re an abomination beyond hope of help?”

“You’re so _persistent—_ ”

“Since when had he been honest with you?” Riku cut him off, “Didn’t he tell you that you only had the χ-blade, and look what good that did you!”

Vanitas hesitated, and Riku slowly smiled.

“Xehanort’s a liar, Vanitas.” He offered the boy his hand. “Come with us, and you can see Ventus again.”

Slowly, Vanitas reached out at his hand.

“Yeah, that’s it. Sora will show you the way, just like he did with me.”

At the mention of Sora’s name, anger _surged_ in Vanitas’s eyes, and he grabbed Riku’s wrist instead.

“Quit messing around!” He bellowed, and flung Riku into the distance, in Sora’s direction. He watched the teen go, and his expression tightened, wrapping his arms around himself.

“That damn light…” he muttered, “I’d better take this chance and get away from Xehanort. I’ll find some other way to see Ventus again.”

He turned on his heel, and limped towards the exit.

* * *

Sora jumped when he heard something hit a nearby tree, but he had no time to react when Pooh pounced on him. He fell down onto his back at the impact, and braced himself for pain, but nothing happened.

He opened his eyes to see Pooh’s yellow ones looking right at him, his small hands, covered by phantom claws still slightly dripping with Xehanort’s blood, held his cheeks with an odd gentleness that Sora sorely missed.

“Where is…” he managed through an otherworldly garble, “Christopher Robin?”

Sora’s eyes widened. He didn’t know a Christopher Robin, but sheer _hope_ surged in his chest at the sound of Pooh talking.

Pooh could still be saved.

“I’m right here, Pooh.” Sora said softly, sitting up slowly to keep the bear on his lap. “It’s me.”

“Christopher… Robin?” The bear asked, and Sora didn’t hesitate.

“Yep, it’s me. Your old pal.” He said, stroking Pooh’s head. “I’m sorry I’d been gone for so long. It must’ve been lonely.”

“Christopher Robin.” It was like that was the only thing Pooh could say, and Sora held his breath when the bear reached up to tug gently at his hair. Sora could see Pooh’s mouth slightly open, and he swallowed nervously when he saw teeth. Sharp, jagged and definitely more sinister than Pooh could ever be.

And they were so close to his throat, too.

“Is that why the darkness got to you?” He had to keep talking, though. He couldn’t stop now. “Is it because you were lonely?”

“Why, yes.” Pooh’s voice was slightly clearer now, and Sora could see the haze of darkness begin to seep away from the bear. “I haven’t seen you in oh so long, Christopher Robin.”

“Me too, Pooh bear.” He replied warmly, and pulled him into a hug. “But I’m here now. You don’t need the darkness anymore. Please, just come back to me as you are.”

Sora’s eyes widened when Pooh suddenly pulled back, eyes closed, to reveal to Sora a keyhole in his chest.

“I know what I have to do.” He breathed, but he jolted when he saw Xehanort suddenly sit up in the crater, cold fury etched into the lines on his face. He surrounded himself with a faint green glow, and all the cuts on his face disappeared, save for a small scar on his lip.

His eyes fell on Sora and Pooh on the ground, and he grinned coldly.

“Ah, convenient. Good things do come to those who wait.” He summoned his Keyblade to his hand, and Sora felt panic rise in his throat.

“Wait—Xehanort—”

“I would stay very still, Sora.” He smirked. “Lest the bear does something we all are going to regret.”

He raised his Keyblade at them, only to get knocked aside by Riku.

“Don’t you forget about _me_.” The teen growled, and their Keyblades clashed together.

“Riku!” Sora called out at him, and Riku knocked Xehanort away from him.

“Do what you have to!” Riku nodded at him over his shoulder. “I’ll keep this guy busy.”

“Must you _always_ interfere?” Xehanort drawled, and Riku gave him a grin.

“Let’s have that round two, then.”

He charged forward at Xehanort, and Sora looked back down at Pooh.

“I’m coming, Pooh. I’ll get that darkness out of you once and for all.”

He summoned his Keyblade to his hand, and shot a beam of light into the bear’s chest.

* * *

When Sora opened his eyes, he found himself standing in the Hundred Acre Wood again, but this time, on the starlit hill where he had last said goodbye to Pooh. It was nighttime, and the big yellow moon and the sparkling stars in the sky was familiar, but it was eerily quiet.

 _Too_ quiet.

He looked around, biting his lip in worry for the bear.

“Pooh? Pooh bear, where are you?” He called out, and he fell still when he saw the shadow of a young boy sitting on the log atop the hill. He frowned nervously, but made his way over to the boy’s side.

Like Sora, the boy was a brunet with warm eyes, his colours muted like the fraying edges of a forgotten memory, and when Sora settled down next to him, the boy gave him a half-smile that felt empty and meaningful all at the same time.

“Hello, Sora.” He said in a mild voice, and Sora swallowed nervously.

“Are you… Christopher Robin?”

The boy took a moment to respond, but eventually he nodded.

“Yes. It’s been so long since anyone had ever noticed me.” He said, “I think, the fact you _can_ means something terrible has happened to Pooh bear, hasn’t it?”

“Yeah.” Sora nodded sadly. “This terrible person—he put his heart inside Pooh. I don’t know why, but I’m sure they’re up to no good.”

“We don’t really ever know why people do bad things.” Christopher said plainly, and Sora frowned at that.

“What happened to you?” He asked, “Uh, if you don’t mind me asking.”

Christopher shook his head. “It’s fine. Pooh bear’s been my dear friend for a long time now, but he doesn’t remember me.” He squeezed his arm. “Or, at least he shouldn’t. I used to live in Radiant Garden, under the rule of the great Ansem the Wise.” He cocked his head at Sora. “Do you know him?”

Sora nodded hesitantly.

“I see.” Christopher looked down at the ground again. “You see, back then, he and his apprentices were doing studies of the heart. In hindsight, I don’t know how this could have passed with him, but…”

“Did they… do something to you?” Sora asked.

“You see, back then, the Hundred Acre Wood used to just be a storybook.” Christopher continued, like Sora hadn’t spoken. “It was a storybook about me and Pooh.”

His hands balled into fists on his lap.

“Back then, Pooh bear… wasn’t real.”

Sora’s eyes widened. “But he _is_ real. He has a heart. _Everyone_ in the Hundred Acre Wood has a heart.”

Christopher gave him a sad smile. “Yes. But only fragments of it. Fragments of a much larger one.”

Realisation sunk into Sora’s heart, and suddenly he understood—how there was that odd sense of melancholy every time he left, every time he met them again.

“They’re yours.” He breathed, and the boy laughed softly.

“Ansem the Wise’s apprentices said I could bring them to life with my heart.” Christopher said, “I failed to read the fine print.”

Sora looked down at his hands, and balled them into fists like Christopher had. “I… I had no idea.”

“Before I knew it, you took my place in the story.” He said, and Sora blinked at him. “You became the friend Pooh’s story had been missing, and there was no reason to remember me anymore. I was going to sink into the deepest darkness of their hearts, but now… I don’t know.”

“Let me save you.” Sora said, and Christopher looked at him.

“Then what about Pooh?” He asked softly, and Sora hesitated.

There lay the conflict—if he saved Christopher and put his fragmented heart back together, Pooh and the rest of the Hundred Acre Wood would disappear, turning back into a simple storybook. If he saved Pooh and the rest of the world, then it would be Christopher fading into the darkness.

Before he could say anything, Christopher put his hand over Sora’s, and squeezed it gently.

“Pooh’s your friend, isn’t he?” He asked, and Sora nodded gingerly. “Then I think it’s for the best you saved him and his friends, instead.”

“What about you?” Sora asked.

Christopher shook his head. “You don’t need to worry about me. You barely know me.”

“But you’re a _person._ ” Sora replied, squeezing his hands. “It doesn’t matter if I know you or not. You _matter_.”

Christopher’s eyes widened at that, and he eventually smiled, deflating slightly.

“You’re a wonderful person, Sora.” he said. “I’m glad Pooh bear has met someone like you.”

“Christopher—” Sora hesitated, and he sighed. “Are you telling me there’s no way to save you?”

“None that I know of.” The boy replied. “It’s okay. I’ve grown used to simply watching Pooh and his friends live on without me.”

“But I—” Sora deflated, and Christopher shook his head.

“But I do hope, someday, I can be able to be with them again.” He said. “But that can wait. For now, someone needs your help.”

He looked behind him, and only then did Sora realise that Pooh was hanging upside-down from the tree they sat under, his foot caught on a balloon’s rope. The balloon was darkened black, and was caught between some branches.

“Pooh!” Sora gasped. He hurried up to the foot of the tree, and summoned his Keyblade. Aiming carefully, Sora threw a Strike Raid at the balloon, and it popped with the sound of a Heartless dematerialising. Pooh fell down from the tree and into Sora’s arms, and he sighed, looking down at the sleeping bear.

“I hope you will have more adventures with him.” Christopher said, and Sora turned to look at him—only to realise he was starting to fade away.

“Christopher Robin!” he reached out for him, but his hand went right through him. “Oh…”

“It’s time for you to go.” He said, “Your friend out there needs your help.”

Sora smacked his forehead. “Oh, Riku!”

Christopher chuckled, and gestured at the path leading out of the hill area. “I’ll see you again soon.”

Sora gave him a smile and nodded. He carried Pooh with him towards the exit, and gave Christopher a wave.

“I’ll find a way to save you too. It’s a promise!” He said, pumping his fist determinedly, and Christopher wiped at his eyes.

“Thank you, Sora.” He replied, and Sora turned to leave, the world drowning in a sea of light—as it should—once more.

* * *

Riku slammed into a tree, choking slightly.

Young Xehanort certainly grew a little more in the time after they fought, he thought bitterly, sliding down to the ground. He got back up on to his feet shakily to face Xehanort’s smarmy grin at him.

“Well, _Master Riku_? Don’t tell me I have to start questioning Yen Sid’s decision to name you Master.”

Well, for starters, Riku thought dryly, he was already exhausted when they started fighting.

“Which one of us had been lying down knocked out cold for a good thirty minutes again?” He shot back, and blasted a Triple Firaga at him to keep Xehanort away from himself.

“Not my proudest achievement, that one.” Xehanort suddenly said in his ear, and Riku stumbled back away from him, casting a dark barrier around himself in precaution as Xehanort brought down his Keyblade onto him over and over again.

Riku grit his teeth. He and Xehanort had been at this for a while, and he knew the teen had been facing Vanitas _and_ Pooh before Riku came along. The both of them were dead tired, he knew—he could see it in the way Xehanort panted slightly with every break they took, at his delayed reactions when he took or blocked Riku’s blows instead of dodging them.

The both of them were nearing their limits, he knew. It was only a matter of time before one of them broke, but he couldn’t keep this up—he could feel his strength at its limits, and while Vanitas was already gone, who knew who else would show up—

“Okay, that’s _enough!_ ”

Like Sora, for example.

Sora’s Strike Raid sent Xehanort flying, and Riku grinned in relief to see Sora carrying Pooh in his arms, asleep, and most importantly—back to normal.

“Sora!” he called out, and Sora gave him a wink. He handed Pooh over to him gently, and the bear clung on to Riku as if on instinct.

“Keep an eye on him, would you?” Sora said, and Riku nodded as Sora faced Xehanort properly. “And as for you,” He smiled slightly, “I really don’t know if I should thank you or not.”

Xehanort cocked an eyebrow at him.

“I’ve learned a few new things thanks to you.” Sora grinned, “And I met a new friend.”

He pointed his Keyblade at Xehanort, expression fierce. “Now get out of here before I do something you don’t want me to.”

“Oh, I’m _so_ frightened.” Xehanort deadpanned, and Sora met his gaze with a smirk.

“Aren’t you exhausted?” He peered at Riku surreptitiously. “And don’t you have a rogue agent to chase?”

Xehanort scowled at him. “Count yourself lucky your _friend_ has quite the stamina.”

“Don’t I know it.” Riku gave him a lazy salute.

Xehanort rolled his eyes and disappeared into a dark portal.

Sora turned to Riku, and grinned sheepishly.

“Sorry. They beat you up pretty good, huh?”

“It’s just a scratch.” Riku replied easily, handing Pooh back over to Sora. “And maybe a few fractured bones and bruises, but I’ll deal.”

“Jeez, Riku.” Sora sighed exasperatedly, waving his Keyblade over his friend as above them, the sky turned blue once again. Riku let out a relieved sigh as clover sigils surrounded him, and the welcome sensation of the sun finally shining down on them brought with it a calm, cool wind that kissed their skin like butterflies. As light returned to the Hundred Acre Wood, Pooh finally stirred in Sora’s arms.

The brunet smiled down at him gently.

“Oh, hey, Pooh.”

“Why, if it isn’t Sora.” Pooh smiled, and he let Sora hug him. “Oh! It’s wonderful to see you too. I’d been thinking about seeing you again for a while now.”

“Y-yeah.” Sora sniffled, and Riku’s eyes widened at him. “Hey, I’m really sorry for making you wait for so long.” He pulled away from the bear, and smiled past the tears that rolled down his cheeks. “Must’ve been lonely.”

“Oh, it was.” Pooh replied with a slow nod, “But it’s no bother. You’re here now, Sora, and all I’m worried about is the rumbly in my tumbly.” Sora laughed weakly at that, and he nodded.

“Yeah, sure. Let’s go get some honey for you.” He put the bear down onto the ground, and Pooh finally turned to look at Riku.

“Oh, why hello there, somebody-I-don’t-know.” He said, and Sora shot Riku an apologetic look. Still, Pooh offered Riku his hand, smiling kindly. “Could you possibly be a friend of Sora’s?”

“Y-yeah.” Riku huffed fondly, and awkwardly bent slightly to take Pooh’s hand. Sora snickered at Riku’s awkward positioning, and the older teen smacked his arm lightly. “I’m Riku. It’s nice to meet you, Pooh.”

“It’s wonderful to meet you too, Riku.” Pooh said, “With three of us here, finding hunny for my tummy will be easier done than said.”

Sora grinned at Riku, and Riku chuckled back.

“I’m sure it will, Pooh.” Sora said, “C’mon, let’s go get some honey for you.”

As they walked back to Pooh’s house, Sora spotted a silhouette in the corner of his vision, but he wasn’t worried by it. His smile dampened slightly with sentiment, and Riku cocked his head at him.

“Anything on your mind?” He asked, and Sora shook his head.

“Just thinking about a promise I made.” He said, and Riku blinked in confusion. He gave Riku a grin, and easily picked up Pooh. “C’mon, Riku! Race you to the hunny tree!”

“H-hey!” Riku shouted after them, and their laughter rang through the sunny countryside.

* * *

Sitting together on the starry hill, Sora couldn’t help but smile as Riku fell asleep, back against the trunk of the tree they sat under, head folded uncomfortably at an angle thanks to how he was leaning against it.

“He’s gonna get so mad when he wakes up, his neck’s gonna kill him.” Sora snickered, and Pooh laughed.

“We’d better wake him up then.”

“Nah, he’s exhausted.” Sora shook his head, and turned back to look at the moon. “Man, it’s been a while since we hung out like this.”

“Yes. I do miss this.” Pooh said, and he looked up at Sora. “But Sora, you seem a little more… cloudy than before. It leaves a strange ache in here.” He pressed his paw to his heart, and Sora sighed fondly. “You said I could find you in here whenever I went looking for you, but now that it hurts, do you hurt as well?”

“Sorta.” Sora said, shrugging, and he hugged Pooh again. “I… met a friend.”

“Oh, are they a nice friend? With lots of hunny?”

“I think so.” Sora chuckled, and pressed their foreheads together. “I made him a promise. And I want to make it happen. I just don’t know how.”

“Well, if you’re looking for something, start here.” Pooh said, pulling away to press a paw to Sora’s heart, and the brunet blinked at him. “Like how I found you again, I looked here. So you can look for him in there, as well.”

Sora’s lips stretched into a warm smile, and he nodded, feeling his eyes prickling again.

“Yeah.” He replied, “Thanks, Pooh.”

Riku groaned softly behind them, and Sora put Pooh down on the log they were sitting on.

“We’d better get going.” He said, just as Riku said, “Oh, my neck.”

Sora snickered slightly, and patted Pooh’s head. “I’m sorry, I’ll be leaving again.”

“I’m not worried.” Pooh replied, “I know where to find you, after all.”

Sora smiled, and nodded. “And I know where to find you, too.”

He helped a sleepy Riku back on to his feet, and ushered him onwards towards the exit. He waved at Pooh goodbye, and just beyond Pooh, in the shadow of the tree, he saw Christopher Robin’s silhouette, smiling at them as they left.

“I made a promise,” he murmured, “I’ll be back soon.”

* * *

“A simple task, and one you could not accomplish.”

His older self never sounded angry when he spoke, and he _hated_ it. Everything about this mission, ever since it started, he had hated, and now, sporting a tiny scar on his lip reminding him about the whole disaster made everything immensely worse.

“I apologise, Master.”

It felt odd to be referring to himself like that, but right now, the new Organisation needed some semblance of ranking. There was no way they would be able to remain intact if all of them suddenly went running rogue the way Vanitas did.

“No, my boy.” The older Xehanort slowly smirked at him, and the young Xehanort blinked in surprise. “Well done.”

He waved his hand, and the Recusant’s Sigil appeared above his palm.

And just like that, the pieces clicked into place.

“You had intended to release Vanitas in the first place.”

The old man chuckled, and leant back in his seat. “Yes.” He nodded. “Isa was too restricting on him, to not allow him to use the Corridors of Darkness out from the World That Never Was, so I had you release him.”

“Wait, but what about—”

“The bear?” The older Xehanort finished. “A test—of how could Sora thwart our plans. He has grown—is still growing—even at this very moment. I see he now has some power over our ability to insert my heart into the bodies of others.”

The young Xehanort touched his scar on his lip. “Somehow, I don’t think it was worth it.” He muttered, and the old man cocked an eyebrow at him. He shook his head, and straightened up.

“Understood.” he said instead, and the older Xehanort nodded.

“Take a rest in your quarters. I will have you called when I need you again.” He waved the teen off, and the young Xehanort made a move, when the old man chuckled. “And what a lovely souvenir you have there from that lovely little world.”

If his younger self slammed the door a little harder than necessary, the old man didn’t say anything else, opting instead to laugh to himself as the door clicked shut.

“What was it that Vanitas had said? ‘Nort’ the Pooh bear?” He murmured, “Ah, children these days.”

He shook his head.

“Hilarious.”

**Author's Note:**

> [sora voice] understandable, have a nice day
> 
> here's some stuff to cleanse your palate:  
> \- [runs on happy faces](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14115945) (G). donald and goofy watch their charge grow up inside the gummi ship.


End file.
